Black
by lainii
Summary: The Black child is raised by the Weasleys. WIP.
1. Chapter 1

**Black**

**Disclaimer: If it was mine, Sirius would still be alive and he would forever be sporting a dog collar around his neck.**

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**Chapter One**

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Tears filled Molly Weasley's motherly eyes as she took in the picture on the front page of the evening Edition of the Daily Prophet. She stared into the pale grey eyes of the toddler, who was looking up at her pleadingly, begging her to take her home and love her and keep her safe from the evils of the world.

Molly reached up and brushed the tears away as she reread the headline.

"Bidding War for Black Child Continues"

They, they being the Malfoys and the LeStranges, were literally bidding on who could pay off the Wizengamot and bypass all of the adoption laws and red tape and gain custody over the child.

Like the little girl was the latest broomstick model and not a human being.

It made Molly feel ill.

She glanced over at her husband, who was eating stew and reading a book titled, 'Muggles and the Fools Who Love Them'.

"I want to adopt her, Arthur."

"Who dear?" Arthur asked, turning a page distractedly as he took another bite of the stew.

"Cassidy Black."

Arthur choked on his stew and after he was certain that he would no longer be in danger of suffocation, he stared at his wife as though she had gone quite mad.

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

Arthur ran a hand over his face, under his glasses. "We already have seven children, Molly. Four of whom are under the age of five. And the money, dear. We can't outbid the LeStranges and we most certainly can't outbid the Malfoys."

Molly shook her head. Arthur was right. She had more than enough to deal with, what with her children and even...

She stopped.

"Arthur, what about the inheritance?" she asked, her voice quiet. She knew that the inheritance was meant for the children, to take care of them, should something happen to both her and Arthur, but she felt in her gut that she had to give it up to save this child.

Now, if only she could get Arthur to agree.

Arthur shook his head. "No. Absolutely not. That money is not to be touched. I won't allow it. Not for some murderer's-"

"Stop right there, Arthur Amadeus Weasley!" Molly growled, her blue eyes snapping fire and glaring at her husband as if he'd let fly some foul swear word.

And he very well may have.

Molly continued. "Cassidy is not a murderer's daughter! She is a little girl who's got no one to love her. She was dealt a cruel hand in life. There is nothing wrong with her! All she needs is a loving home and a family who doesn't look down on her for being born to a less than respectable family. If she goes to one of those people, she'll be raised to be a mini-Death Eater and it will be a wasted life."

She shoved the newspaper at her husband. "Look at her, Arthur. Look at her and tell me that you don't see a little girl who has so much potential, if only she had the right family to love her and hold her and encourage her."

Arthur glanced down at the paper. As he did so, the little girl in the photo smiled up at him hopefully.

His heart melted.

He sighed. "How are we going to tell the others?"

"We'll just explain to them that they are going to have another little sister. Bill, Charlie and Percy will understand adoption, but I'm not sure about the others."

Arthur nodded as the backdoor burst open and all the children, Billy, Charlie, and Percy were carrying the others, Fred, George, and Ron. The youngest, Ginny, was already in bed, being only a baby.

"Mummy!" Ron squealed, giggling happily and Fred and George snickered.

Molly shook her head, taking the little boy from Billy and hugging him close. She looked over at Arthur.

He smiled and shrugged. "I'll talk to Beats first thing tomorrow."

Molly's smile widened and her eyes filled with tears again.

Only this time, they were tears of happiness.

Six long months after Arthur had first gone to the Wizengamot to plead his case and petition for the adoption of one Cassidy Kalliope Black, the Weasleys, once one of the most respected pureblood families in the wizarding world, were broke, having spend all their gold on the best lawyers.

As Molly cuddled her new daughter to her and brushed ebony bangs out of the slate eyes, she was convinced that it was worth it.

The other children were happy, and Cassidy was on her way to having a good, loving childhood.

Arthur signed the adoption papers, and the Wizengamot declared Cassidy theirs.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word..." Molly sang, all but dancing around the sitting room of the Burrow, a squalling infant in her arms. "... Mama's gonna buy you a racing br-.."

She was cut off as jaw cracking yawn caught her off guard.

Cassidy wailed louder.

"Please, Cassi, sleep." Molly pleaded, leaning against the wall in exhaustion. She hadn't gotten sleep in a week.

Cassi ignored the plea and continued to sob. Molly, feeling like she could cry herself, pushed off the wall and began pacing again. She only made it a few steps, however, when she stumbled and fell against the back of the sofa.

"Mum?"

Molly's head turned to look at the source of the voice.

Billy was standing on the landing, his shaggy crimson hair tousled with sleep. His eyes, however, were awake and alert and full of worry for his mother.

"Go back to bed, Billy." Molly said, forcing herself to her feet.

"No."

"Billy...."

The youth didn't reply. He walked down the steps to stand in front of his mother. He reached out and took the baby from her and cuddled her against his chest.

"Go to bed, Mum." he said, in a tone that brooked no arguments.

Molly opened her mouth to tell the boy that he was the one who was going to go to bed, and that she would be the one tending the baby, but she wanted so much just to sleep that she closed her mouth and made her way up the stairs without a sound.

Billy waited until she was gone before he turned to the still crying little girl he was holding.

"Those teeth are no fun, hey?" he asked her, leaning down to pick up the stuffed rabbit that was lying, forgotten on the floor. He tickled the end of Cassi's nose with the ear of it and the little girl let out a half laugh/half cry type sound. "See? It's not so bad."

Cassidy looked up at the boy, her eyes still teary, but she'd stopped crying. She reached for the rabbit and Billy handed it to her.

He walked over to the rocking chair and sat down, rocking slowly and cradling Cassi against his chest, singing a David Bowie song quietly.

Cassi quieted down and buried her face into the rabbit's soft fluff.

Within minutes, both the baby and the boy were sound asleep.

Later that same morning, Molly, refreshed after a few hours of sleep, came down the stairs with Ginny in her arms to feed her and make breakfast for the rest of her family.

She looked around the living room and her eyes softened.

Billy was still in the rocking chair, though now, his right foot was resting on the coffee table and he was sprawled in the chair. Molly was certain that if his foot hadn't been on the coffee table, Billy would have fallen out of the chair.

Cassidy was lying across the boy's chest, her thumb in her mouth and his arms were wrapped around her protectively.

As Molly watched, Cassidy whimpered and started to fuss. Billy shifted the infant higher up on his chest and brushed his fingers over her downy hair. The baby settled instantly.

Molly shook her head.

Things, it seemed, were finally looking up.

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**Thanks for reading! Please RR. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Black**

**Disclaimer: If it was mine, Sirius would still be alive and he would forever be sporting a dog collar around his neck.**

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****Chapter Two**

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"Mama, Ron hitted me!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Nu uh! I'm telling!"

"I'm telling on you first!"

Molly Weasley looked up from the kettle she was scrubbing and pushed crimson hair out of her eyes in exasperation as two children, one with hair as red as her own and the other with hair a rich, dark ebony, barrelled through the back door, yelling and screaming and trying to hit (or in the girl's case, trying to bite) each other.

She pinched the bridge of her nose to ward off an impending headache and moved to pull the girl away from her brother.

The six year old snarled like a puma cub and fought to get away with all her might.

Her brother just looked at her with a 'ha ha, you're in trouble' smirk plastered on his face. Molly shot him a glare and he paled and wilted instantly.

"Cassidy Allegra Weasley, stop it this instant or you'll go to your room with no supper." Molly snapped as Cassi mule kicked her in the shin.

The girl, under the threat of no dinner, stopped kicking and growling and stood quietly, still glaring at her brother murderously.

It was an expression that Molly always felt uneasy about seeing on her daughter's face.

She blinked, shook her head a bit and turned her focus back to the matter at hand.

"Ronald, go sit in that chair." She said, pointing to the chair.

The boy huffed, but did as he was told, pulling a face at his sister, which only infuriated the girl more. Before she could lunge, however, Molly picked her up and set her in the chair across from Ron.

"Now," Molly said, moving to stand at the head of the table, placing her hands on her hips. "what is going on?"

"Cassi hit me." Ron said, pouting.

"Nu uh!" Cassi was quick to jump in, full of six year old indignance. "He hitted me first!"

"And why did he hit you?"

Cassi looked down at the tabletop, which was right under her nose. "I pushed him down."

Molly raised her eyes to the ceiling, thanking whichever gods that, while the girl was argumentative, compulsive, and headstrong, she was no liar.

"I hurt my knee." Ron whimpered, looking up at his mother, wanting pity.

"Why did you push your brother, Cassidy?" Molly asked, casting a look to Ron to stave off his words.

Cassi shook her head and ducked her head further so that her forehead was resting on the table and her dark hair fell over her face.

Molly glanced at Ron, who was looking nervous.

_Hmm..._

"Cassi, why did you push Ron?" Molly asked again, softer this time.

The little girl shook her head again.

Molly shook her head. Something had obviously upset the girl. She wasn't one to strike out without a reason, ever. She turned back to Ron, who cowered.

"What did you say to Cassi?"

"Mummy-"

"Ronald, what did you say to your sister?"

The boy swallowed and ducked his head, muttering something that Molly couldn't hear.

"Speak up, boy."

"I called her a 'stupid orphan'." Ron whispered, glancing up at his mother, wincing as her face clouded with anger.

"You said _what_?" a voice behind Molly hissed.

Molly closed her eyes. This would not bode well for her youngest son. Not well at all.

Billy, her eldest, stormed into the kitchen, his blue eyes furious. He was still dressed in his Gringotts uniform, having just come home from his internship there.

Ron cowered away from his big brother and Cassi leaped up from her chair and threw herself at him. Billy picked her up and cuddled her to his chest.

"Why?" Billy demanded.

Ron shook his head.

"_Why_?"

"Because."

Molly sighed and put a hand on Billy's shoulder, giving him a slight shove toward the den. "Go. I'll talk to him."

The young man looked like he wanted to retort, but, when Cassi sniffled, he seemed to think better of it and left.

Molly waited until Billy was out of sight before rounding on her youngest son once more.

"Now, Ronald, what have you got to say for yourself?"

**()()()()()()**

Billy was not happy. Furious. Pissed. Nauseated, even.

He knew his little brother didn't understand the impact of what he had said, but that didn't make it any less serious.

Cassi had enough harassment to deal with from the whole of the wizarding world. She didn't need it from within the walls of her own home as well.

He sat down on the sofa and tried to pry Cassi from his chest.

No such luck.

"C'mon, Hellion, you're alright, hey?"

"Am I really a stupid orphan, Demon?" Cassi asked her voice small and muffled from the folds of his robes.

Billy closed his eyes and rocked the girl back and forth.

"You, Cassi," he said, rubbing her back. "are far more important and special than any plain old 'stupid orphan'. You know why?"

Cassi looked up hesitantly.

"Well, do you? "

She shook her head, her expression slightly puzzled.

Billy's own face lightened, exaggerated slightly for show, at the thought of telling Cassi exactly why she was so special.

"Well, let me see." he pretended to think a minute. "You are by far the best chocolate milk bubble blower I've ever seen, you always wash behind your ears." He said, tickling Cassi behind her ears so that she giggled and tried to force his hand away. "You help Mama in the kitchen and you make the best banana sandwiches I've ever tasted, Charlie is scared of you, simply because you can beat him at arm wrestling every single time, you never tattle on Fred and George, even when they're doing something that they know they shouldn't be, you help Da with his crosswords every Sunday morning and get all the words that he doesn't know, you tell Percy when he's being boring and laugh when he looks annoyed, and you are the best big sister Ginny could ever have.

Does it sound like you're just a 'stupid orphan' to you?"

Cassi shook her head, uncertain still.

"But, my mummy and daddy..." she looked up at Billy, not wanting to finish what she was going to say.

Billy knew anyway. It was a big issue for the little girl and he suspected that it always would be, no matter how much they all reassured her.

"Your mummy and daddy loved you, Cassidy." he said, using her given name for emphasis. "They weren't bad people, not really. They just made bad choices and because of those bad choices, they couldn't take care of you anymore. So, they gave you to us, so you could have a new mummy and daddy and brothers and a sister."

"Like when I give my bear to Ginny because I was mean to her for knocking over my blocks?" Cassi asked, concentrating and trying to put what her big brother was saying into terms she could understand.

Billy nodded, smiling as Cassi wrinkled her nose. "Exactly."

The little girl was quiet for a while, watching as Ginny came in and began building with the blocks that were in the corner and Fred and George ran through, laughing loudly and cat calling each other as they went.

"Demon?" she said after a while.

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Should I go tell Ron that I'm sorry for pushing him?"

Billy smiled, squeezing the girl a little tighter. "I think that would be a very nice thing for you to do."

"Okay."

And she slid off his lap and went to go find her brother to say that she was sorry.

"I wish you wouldn't call her 'Hellion', Bill." Molly said, from where she was standing in the doorframe, having watched the whole exchange.

"Better to call her 'Hellion' out of affection than to call her a 'stupid orphan' out of hatred." Billy countered.

Molly shook her head. "Ron was just repeating something he heard some heartless person say in Diagon Alley. He didn't even know what an orphan was."

"I hope you told him that it was a cruel, vile thing to call someone." Billy said, his eyes flashing.

"Yes."

"Good."

Molly eyed her eldest son, wondering at what point did he grow up and become the young man who was sitting in front of her.

She had missed the moment completely.

He was a strong, determined young man, who fought hard for what he believed in and didn't let anything sway him from his path.

He was loving to his family and fiercely protective of his little sisters, especially Cassidy, who Molly knew was his favourite of all his siblings, but also that he would never admit it.

It made Molly's heart sick to know that her eldest son had shifted into adulthood right under her nose and she hadn't even been aware.

Billy noticed his mother eyeing him, looking a bit teary. "What?"

Molly shook her head. "Nothing. Are you hungry?"

The boy grinned crookedly. "Do I even have to answer?"

Molly laughed quietly, swatting at him as he brushed past to go scoop Ginny up in a bear hug, making her giggle and squeal. "Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. Please have the kids ready."

"Yes, mum."

The Weasley matriarch shook her head in amusement and made her way to the kitchen, listening to the content laughter of her children as she went.

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**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.**


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